Pray Without Ceasing

When I was asked to serve as honorary chairman for the National Day of Prayer, I never dreamed of the controversy that would surround this day of corporate prayer for our country.

Only a few days before the observance, a federal judge in Wisconsin ruled that the National Day of Prayer was unconstitutional. Then the Pentagon withdrew an invitation for me to pray there, due to objections within the Defense Department to my past remarks on the religion of Islam. We were still able to hold the national prayer service at the Cannon House Office Building.

None of this stopped me or other believers from across this great nation from calling on Almighty God, in repentance and humility, asking for spiritual renewal and awakening. No judge or dissenter can thwart the sovereign purposes of a God who hears and answers the pleas of His people.

Believers in Jesus Christ can come “boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16), now that His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection has atoned for sins and opened the way into His presence through faith in Him.

And while I am grateful for the privilege of celebrating a national day of prayer, the Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This means that we are to be in an ongoing lifestyle of lifting up our thanks and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In most of his letters, the Apostle Paul asked those to whom he wrote to pray for him, so that he would have the strength and boldness he needed to continue to preach Christ and Him crucified. Paul understood and treasured the power of prayerful intercession on his behalf.

I would like to ask you to cover the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association with your prayers in the days to come. We need God’s people lifting up our work of evangelism and discipleship on a regular, consistent basis. I’ve often heard my father speak of how important it was to him to know that believers were interceding for him as he preached.

Every day, around the world, we are working for the sake of the Gospel. That means there is always much opposition from the adversary, the devil, who continually strives to blind the minds and hearts of men and women to God’s saving truth. That kind of enemy can only be overcome through prevailing, earnest prayer.

This summer, we’ll be traveling across western Canada with Rock the River to reach young people for Christ. We need your prayers. Later, we’ll be in Japan and Latvia for Crusades and Malawi for My Hope. I ask you to uphold us in prayer.

I want to thank you personally for your support and prayers on my behalf. I felt them especially as I went on numerous network talk shows to defend the National Day of Prayer. God gave me strength, and I know that came through the prayers of His people.

56 Comments

Dear BGEA family, God choose you to represent him through your message as it is read and understood by people in the world. Many have come nearer to Christ including myself. Let the God we pray to bless your work.

Lord Jesus I lift up to you the work being done by this ministry and pray for your blessing on it. I pray that you would guide, guard, keep and strengthen Franklin Graham and all who support and serve You through BGEA. Amen

May our G-d open the eyes of the lost and hurting people of this world… may He sustain the children of this time, for they are our future…May He continue to prepare His people of this generation…For I know in my heart of hearts that we shall and will see His coming…Pray every one, pray and fast…

I am so thankful for your ministry. I am praying for your protection, encouragement, that many come to Christ through your ministry and that God abundantly bless you, your family, ministries and staff and meet all of your needs.

Franklin, Blessings on you, your family and especially your father. I grew up during his time. I'm ashamed of the way you were treated by the judge and especially the military; I'm a Veteran, and it makes me feel very sad. I pray for you and BGEA every day and shall continue. GOD's WORD is essential to all of us. GOD Bless

NO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR FATHER'S PLACE, BUT IT IS SURE GOOD TO SEE YOU WALKING IN HIS FOOT STEPS. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU IN ALL OF YOUR WORK FOR ALL YOU DO FOR BGEA ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS IS MY PRAYER TO GOD.

Since I was 22 I knew your Father Billy, he went to my country Ecuador to preach, I am still praying for both of you, I was so incredibly amazing of your mother, the way she served the Lord, all of you Graham familly are in a special place in my heart, I'll continue praying for this wonderful ministries. love you both GBU too.